Foals are born either without teeth or with four central incisors, two on the top and two on the bottom. If the central incisors are not present at birth, they usually erupt within 8 days. The intermediate incisors erupt by 8 weeks (Figure 3)and the corner incisors by about 8 months.
At or soon after birth foals will have a total of 16 teeth present, four incisors or front teeth and 12 premolars or back teeth. At six to eight weeks four more incisors will erupt through the gum and at approximately six months the last set of deciduous incisors will erupt.
Most foals have their first set of incisors erupted by the time they are a week old. The next set is usually in by 6 weeks of age and the third by 6-9 months. An easy way to remember this is 6 days, 6 weeks, and 6 months. The foal's “cheek teeth” in the back of the mouth erupt by about 2 weeks of age.
The baby teeth, also called deciduous teeth, are temporary. The first deciduous incisors may erupt before the foal is born. The last baby teeth come in when the horse is about 8 months of age. These teeth begin to be replaced by adult teeth around age 2 1/2.
The three premolars erupt at about two weeks of age with the second incisors appearing at around one month of age and the third incisors at six to nine months of age. At approximately nine months of age, a foal will have a complete set of 24 deciduous teeth.
“Foal slippers” is the cutesy name given to a rather grim feature of newborn horses, who are born with eponychium, a kind of hoof capsule that's thought to protect the mother while the foal is in utero. Eponychium is actually present on the tiny feets of many hooved animals, including cows, deer, and even rhinos.
Foals that are affected with neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS), also known as “dummy foals”, appear healthy when they are born, but shortly thereafter exhibit neurological abnormalities. They are often detached, disoriented, unresponsive, confused, and have trouble nursing.
Foals are born with their eyes open. The pupils are initially round to oval in shape and become more horizontal at three to five days postpartum with a lighter-colored iris than adult horses.
OLWS is a genetic mutation that affects horses with white markings and can lead to death in foals. Foals with two copies of this gene are born white with blue eyes and have intestines that don't fully develop. There is no treatment for OLWS.
A research study of mares and foals on pasture reported that the youngest age a foal was observed to drink water was three weeks old, with some foals never observed to drink water until weaning. With that said, you should always allow the mare and foal to have free access to fresh water.
Foals will begin eating small amounts of grain within weeks after birth. If given access to grain, most will consume substantial amounts by two to three months of age. Most foals will readily eat from the dam's trough; however, to ensure access, many farms use creep feeders.
“Floating a horse's teeth means to file or rasp the teeth to reduce the sharp edges and make the surface smoother” Dr. French explains. A veterinarian does this with tools called dental floats, which are metal files on the end of a long metal handle that allows the veterinarian to reach into the horse's mouth safely.
Between the age of 2½ and 4½ years of age, the horse will shed 24 baby teeth — both premolars (cheek) and incisor (front) teeth. These teeth are replaced by adult teeth. The first teeth to change will be the central incisors — both upper and lower.
A mare usually has one foal per pregnancy, but twins (or even triplets) are possible.
Very young foals use this mouth movement to announce to the world, “I'm a baby…. don't hurt me!” It is a submissive move. In this video the little horse, the weanling, is very aware that his big half-brother enjoys pushing him around. The baby is reminding him that he is no threat.
Clacking teeth.
A foal will sometimes raise his neck, push his head forward, curl his lips and click his teeth together. It can look comical to us, but it's an important behavior for him: This is how the foal tells other horses, “Hey! I'm a baby!
This finding suggests that horses form strong memories of conspecifics, able to recognise them even after a long period of separation. This finding also indicates that the mare-foal bond remains strong even when foals reach one year of age and when they have not seen their dam for a long time.
The most desirable horse color is bay, followed by chestnut, dark brown, and black. Among racehorses, there are many successful colors: bay, chestnut, and brown horses win a lot of races. Pure white is the rarest horse color.
For example, if the foal enters the birth canal in an abnormal position, the birth may not proceed without assistance. Prolonged deliveries result in reduced oxygen to the foal, poor doing once the foal is born and potential death. Fetuses may also die due to malformations such as heart defects.
Causes of Conjunctivitis in Horses
Most commonly, horses get conjunctivitis due to trauma or through an infection. Young horses may get conjunctivitis if they have direct contact with a fly that has been in direct contact with another horse that is infected with a virus that causes conjunctivitis.
Those foaling at home should also make sure to have a clean, safe and quiet space for the birth. Mares typically foal at night. “Being prey, horses are trying to find the time of day where they feel the safest and away from the public,” says Delvescovo.
Twin foals suffer a higher rate of stillbirth, and those born alive are usually smaller, weaker, and more susceptible to infection with slower development than singleton foals.
Meconium is the term used to describe the first feces or stool produced by a newborn foal. In most instances, the meconium is passed within the first three hours of life without difficulty.
In a 'red bag' delivery the placenta has partially or completely separated from the mares endometrium (lining of the uterus) prior to the foal being delivered. This means that the foal is getting no oxygen from the time of separation (or reduced oxygen in the case of partial separation) to the time it is delivered.
Another form of the disease is shaker foal syndrome, which results when spores germinate and produce toxin in foals' intestinal tracts. The toxin blocks the communication between nerves and muscles, resulting in progressive flaccid paralysis and reduced muscle strength.